Did You Know? Veterans Can Collect Both Retirement AND Disability Pay

For many veterans, navigating the seemingly endless red tape associated with collecting earned benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is simply too much. The process can be so overbearing, intimidating, and time consuming, many veterans are misinformed and simply miss out on benefits to which they are entitled.

Not surprisingly, many veterans are confused about drawing retirement pay from the military and disability compensation from the VA. The good news is veterans can draw both concurrently.

There has been a long-standing battle between Congress and veterans organizations over this issue. The law mandated an offset of $1 of military pay for every $1 collected of disability compensation from the VA. Veteran organizations insisted they were two totally different types of compensation. One is for serving in the military for a career, and the other to compensate soldiers injured in the line of duty, and they should not cancel each other out but rather qualify for concurrent receipt.

The rate of disability pay varies by veteran. Veterans given 100% disability ratings out of non-combat related injuries with 20 years of service as well as all retired veterans who are combat disabled, regardless of time in service or disability rating, are able to draw 100% of their disability pay.

The disability offset is being phased out over 10 years, and should end in 2014. This means any retired veteran rated at least 50% disabled due to non-combat related injuries and has a minimum of 20 years in service, as well as all veterans retired under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority of the 1990s will fall under the phase-out.

Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) is a related program under which specific retirees can draw both retirement pay and disability compensation. Under CRSC, retirement pay will no longer be reduced by disability compensation for retirees with at least 20 years of service and a "combat related" disability rating.

Benefits and pay cannot, however, be drawn from both CRSC and concurrent receipt. Although those veterans rated under 50% disabled cannot currently draw disability compensation and retirement pay at the same time, veterans groups are fighting to change that law as well.

If you are a disabled veteran who has been denied disability compensation or have not yet applied for benefits from the VA, a South Florida disability representative from LaVan & Neidenberg is ready to help. To learn if you are entitled to certain programs and benefits contact our veterans disability rights firm today - 1-888-234-5758.

Soldiers can return home with a number of conditions, injuries, and aggravated preexisting conditions. If you believe you have a service-connected physical or psychological injury you may be entitled to Veterans’ Disability Compensation.

At LaVan & Neidenberg®, we are determined to secure veterans their rightful disability compensation and disability rating. We wrote this book for you! In it you will find valuable tips on how to navigate the claims process and avoid common pitfalls. Request your FREE copy today!

5 Comments to "Did You Know? Veterans Can Collect Both Retirement AND Disability Pay"

What you are referring to is called Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay, or CRDP, which allows military retirees to receive both military retired pay and VA compensation. This was prohibited until the CRDP program began on January 1, 2004. There are certain eligibility requirements, however, you should contact VA or the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to determine your eligibility.

I have been awarded 100% disability by the VA for my heart condition related to Agent Orange while I was in Viet Nam. I retired from the USMC in 1978 and am receiving my retirement pay from the Marine Corps. When I got my VA disability my retirement pay was deducted from the VA payment. I, too, had been told a 20 year retirement would be paid and I would collect the 100% disability on top of the retirement pay. Is there any truth to this or is this some false statements? I would appreciate any information I could receive on this subject.

Yes you can recive both if you are combate related injurys your 199 should have a code call an AC-10 code witch is combate related I medically retired beging of last year 2012 and i have recived bot va and army retiree pay. But both my ratings are the same va is 60% and Army Is 60%.

Posted by John Doe
on April 20, 2013 at 12:39 PM

It is true... I am getting the same as you and I am in the process of doing the paperwork to collect both. It does not come automatically there are forms and a process to follow. I received all the info and paperwork from my RSO. As long as everything is from a combat zone you will get both....

Posted by vincent herzog
on February 2, 2013 at 06:40 PM

I receive 80% from the VA and the Army is going to retire me at 60% both are from combat. The Army says the 60% is tax free and based off of my base pay ( which is more the the 80% from the VA ) and I will receive free health care for me and my spouse a long with ID cards. Question: I have been told that I can only collect one of these,but I heard last week that starting Oct. 1st 2013 I would be able to collect both. Is this true or a bad rumor. 2- Since both ratings are from a combat zone is it possible to collect both now.

Posted by SSG Herzog
on December 7, 2012 at 07:27 PM

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